‘You start with the Beatles, your resume looks pretty good,’ Chris Odell reflects. A new documentary highlights her extensive career as a music manager, which includes notable names like Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, and Santana. Her journey began in 1968 with a chance encounter in Los Angeles.
Derek Taylor was managing promotions for Apple Corps, the Beatles’ company, and Odell worked as a junior assistant in radio promotion. When Taylor offered her a position in the Apple office in London, she quickly made the leap, leaving everything behind to travel halfway across the world. ‘I was sorting it all out from my home in Arizona,’ she recalls.
Odell’s role wasn’t limited to her desk; she was present in the studio with the Beatles, even contributing her voice to the climax of “Hey Jude.” She recalls the surreal experience of being on the roof of Apple’s headquarters during their final live performance, sharing a breakfast with George Harrison when news broke unexpectedly about Paul McCartney’s departure.
After the band’s breakup, Odell still found herself in their orbit. ‘I learned more about John during his time with May Pang,’ she notes, referencing Lennon’s time in the 1970s. They all lived together in a beach house in Santa Monica, a unique moment in her connection with him, though she admits her friendship with Ono was more focused on work than intimacy.
Odell’s relationship with another Beatle, Ringo Starr, was more personal. In her 2009 memoir, she spoke candidly about their tumultuous past, though nowadays she prefers to cherish their friendship. ‘I could honestly say he was a friend,’ she shares lightheartedly, mentioning that he is her son’s godfather.
But it’s George Harrison who resonates with music fans due to his songs about her—particularly the new documentary titled “Miss Odell.” The song, written in 1971, emerged when she was hesitant to meet him because she feared it would be filled with opportunists. Harrison, inspired by her absence, penned “Why Don’t You Call Me, Miss Odell?” which she fondly recalls flipping to the B-side of “Give Me Love (Give Peace a Chance).”
In her documentary, Odell revisits significant places like Wigmore Street in London and Apple’s Saville Row office. She reunites with Harrison’s ex-wife Patty Boyd and Peter Asher, reflecting on how her experiences with the Beatles helped shape her remarkable career.
Following her time with the Beatles, she worked with the Rolling Stones, even joking about needing to include a ‘Sleep with Mick’ clause in her job description. However, her interactions with him were more innocent than they might sound.
Odell also recalls how she began her career as one of the first female tour managers. Her early gigs included managing logistics for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, which she describes as a real challenge. A pivotal moment came in 1975 when working with Linda Ronstadt, which marked her first chance to take a significant lead in a tour.
She fondly remembers her time on Bob Dylan’s mid-1970s Rolling Thunder Review, particularly a moment shared over a meal. ‘We talked about a lot of things, but his eyes never left mine,’ she says with a humorous twinkle in her assessment.
Drama unfolded during that tour when Joni Mitchell joined, leading to a love triangle involving Sam Shepard, which became the backdrop for Mitchell’s song about that experience—a situation Odell describes with a mix of amusement and disbelief.
Despite challenges, friendship with Mitchell persisted over the years, and they’ve since bonded well. Later in her career, Odell worked with various bands, including Led Zeppelin and Queen, but she eventually stepped back after finding herself disconnected from the newer acts.
Over time, she recognized the toll that drugs and alcohol had taken on her life, prompting a transition to earn a master’s degree and ultimately work as a therapist. She now focuses on aiding others battling addiction, leveraging her own recovery journey.
Although she has drifted from many former colleagues in rock, she maintains strong ties with her female peers. Recently, she launched a YouTube series discussing her experiences with figures like Susie Ronson and May Pang, along with plans to release old interviews from the 1980s.
Looking ahead, while the Beatles will always be part of Chris Odell’s story, she proudly notes, ‘I’ve worked with over 21 bands, and I’m proud of that. Being among the first women in the music industry to manage tours, I can reflect on a solid legacy.’
Miss Odell has been available on streaming platforms like Peacock and Prime Video since May 13 and is also out on DVD and Blu-ray.
